Feeling vs Sentiment

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Feeling

Top 1,000 (very common)A1noun

Sentiment

Top 2,000 (common)C1noun
Most common: Feeling
 FeelingSentiment
Pronunciation🇬🇧 /["/ˈfiːlɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈfiːlɪŋ/"]/🇬🇧 /["/ˈsentɪmənt/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈsentɪmənt/"]/
MeaningAn emotion or state of mind.A feeling or emotion about something.
ExampleI have a good feeling about this project.The overall sentiment of the article was positive, highlighting the benefits of the new policy.
RegisterNeutralNeutral
How commonTop 1,000 (very common)Top 2,000 (common)
CEFR levelA1C1
Part of speechnounnoun
Collocationsstrong, overwhelming, definite, experience, feel, get, come over somebody, creep over somebody, be mutual, feeling about, feeling of, deep, intense, strong, experience, harbour/​harbor, have, sweep over somebody, wash over somebody, well up inside somebody, feeling about, feeling for, feeling of, no hard feelings, deep, intense, strong, experience, harbour/​harbor, have, sweep over somebody, wash over somebody, well up inside somebody, feeling about, feeling for, feeling of, no hard feelings, deep, intense, strong, experience, harbour/​harbor, have, sweep over somebody, wash over somebody, well up inside somebody, feeling about, feeling for, feeling of, no hard feelings, strong, overwhelming, definite, experience, feel, get, come over somebody, creep over somebody, be mutual, feeling about, feeling of, great, wonderful, genuine, have, develop, with feeling, feeling for, lose, regain, feeling in, great, wonderful, genuine, have, develop, with feeling, feeling for, create, recreate, feeling ofdeep, strong, growing, express, voice, agree with, run, sentiments about, sentiments on, sentiment against, I, we, etc. appreciate the sentiment, my sentiments exactly, deep, strong, growing, express, voice, agree with, run, sentiments about, sentiments on, sentiment against, I, we, etc. appreciate the sentiment, my sentiments exactly
Antonymsapathy, indifference, detachmentindifference, apathy, disregard
Common mistakesConfusing 'feeling' with 'sense' in non-emotional contexts., Using 'feeling' as a countable noun (e.g., saying 'a feeling' when referring to a general emotion)., Omitting the gerund form when discussing ongoing emotions (e.g., 'I am feeling happy' vs. 'I feel happy').Confused with 'sentimentality', which implies excessive emotions., Using 'sentiment' as a verb; it's only a noun., Mixing up with 'emotion' which is broader.
Usage notesUse 'feeling' to express emotions or physical sensations. It's suitable for everyday conversations but may sound vague in formal writing. In specific contexts, you might use more precise terms for emotions.Use this word when discussing feelings or opinions, especially in contexts like psychology or marketing. It is less common in casual conversations.

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Feeling
Sentiment

Frequently asked questions: Feeling vs Sentiment

What's the difference between Feeling and Sentiment?

Feeling: An emotion or state of mind. Sentiment: A feeling or emotion about something.

Which is more common: Feeling and Sentiment?

Feeling is the most common in everyday English.

Which is more advanced: Feeling and Sentiment?

Sentiment is the highest level, at C1, on the CEFR scale.

Are Feeling and Sentiment the same CEFR level?

Feeling: A1, Sentiment: C1 on the CEFR scale.

What part of speech are Feeling and Sentiment?

Feeling: noun, Sentiment: noun.

Can you show an example of each?

Feeling: I have a good feeling about this project. Sentiment: The overall sentiment of the article was positive, highlighting the benefits of the new policy.

Can I use Feeling and Sentiment interchangeably?

Not always. Feeling and Sentiment are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.

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